A Miracle From Heaven
by APrairiefan
Summary: A story about Laura Ingalls 2 dogs Jack and Bandit. Jack has passed away about a year and half ago Bandit is about to run in a dog race but gets hurt. Will Bandit be able to run?


A Miracle From Heaven:

The Ingalls' family, Charles and Caroline, Laura, Albert, Carrie and Grace are having a picnic and their dog, Bandit is with them. While they are finishing up their Fried Chicken and homemade rolls and starting on Apple pie, Laura begins to say how excited she is about the upcoming dog race in 2 months and that Bandit is doing well with his running.

Charles says to Laura, "Half-Pint, Bandit has a very good chance in winning the race but did you see the new dog that Nellie just got, a Grey Hound? I heard they were the fastest dogs around."

''Yes Pa," Laura answers, "And Nellie is getting snotty about it, but you know Pa, Bandit will beat that dog any old day. Remember Pa, Bunny beat Sparks in the horse race years ago." Then Laura pats her dog Bandit on the head and says, "You are going to beat that old Grey hound, ain't your boy?"

Bandit barks as to say, ''Yes!"

Laura answers her dog's bark with, "Good Boy!" Then says, ''You are not ugly as a hog, as Nellie keeps saying." Then Laura pats Bandit once again.

Bandit barks once more.

They finish up their last bite of Apple pie. Laura and Carrie are now playing with Bandit in the open field running and laughing. When all of a sudden Bandit falls into an unseen Gopher hole. Laura and Carrie are standing over the hole wondering how to get him out. Carrie runs to Ma and Pa, "Ma, Pa, Bandit fell in a hole, Come quick."

Caroline picks up Grace, Charles runs to where Laura is looking at Bandit in the Gopher hole, Albert is standing back wondering what he can do to help. Charles says to Laura, "Everything is going to be ok, we will get him out." Then Charles looks over to Albert and says, "Son, get the shovel I have in the back of the Wagon I'll need to dig the hole a little more to get Bandit out."

''Yes Pa," Albert answers as he runs toward the Wagon.

Charles is digging the hole a little bigger so he can get Bandit back up and a few minutes later he asks Albert to help pull him up. When Charles and Albert does succeed to get Bandit out of the hole they find that Bandit is all bloody around his left front leg and his eyes are swollen shut from hitting a rock or something when he fell in.

Laura begins to cry, "Oh Pa, Oh Pa, look at Bandit he is badly hurt. Oh Pa, Oh Pa, We have to do something!"

Trying to Comfort Laura but not really knowing for sure himself Charles answers, "Half-pint, Bandit is going to be ok. I have some clean rags in the Wagon get them for me and I'll take Bandit over to the Creek to wash him up."

Laura runs to the Wagon gets the rags and meets her Pa at the Creek, they clean the blood off of Bandit's leg and as Charles is cleaning Bandit up he notices that Bandit's leg is wobbling a bit. Charles says while looking at Laura with a tear in his eye, ''I think Bandit has a broken leg. I'll use this extra dry cloth to wrap it up as we take him to Dr. Baker's."

Laura begins to cry again, "Oh Pa! and what about his swollen eyes?"

Charles answers with another tear, ''I don't know Laura. We will have Dr. Baker look at his eyes also."

Albert and Charles both put Bandit into the Wagon carefully laying him in the back. Laura sits with him as Charles rides fast but carefully so not to jerk Bandit too much. The whole way into Town to Dr. Baker's Laura is crying but also trying to give Bandit some comfort.

Charles pulls up to Dr. Baker's office, knocks on the door and goes in saying, ''Dr. Baker, Bandit our dog has been hurt. I think he has a broken leg and his eyes are swollen shut can you look at him?"

Dr. Baker looks at Bandit and says, ''Charles, Bandit does have a broken leg, let me put a proper cast on him. His leg should heal in about 4-6 weeks. For as Bandit's eyes I don't know yet time will tell when the swelling goes down, for now make sure he rests his eyes so they can heal properly."

Dr. Baker puts a cast on Bandit's left front leg and the Ingalls head home. Albert makes a comfortable spot on the floor for Bandit to rest. Laura says as she is wiping a tear from her eye, "Pa, he has to be ok, I love Bandit so!"to

"He will be Laura, He will be!" Charles answers as he gives her a hug then Charles says, "Bandit is going to run in that race in 2 months and WIN!"

''Yes, I know he will!" Laura answers giving her Pa a hug back.

A little more than a month passes and Bandit's leg has healed 100%, his eyes are not swollen anymore but Laura has noticed that Bandit is running into things and can't seem to see properly. Laura says to her Pa, "Pa, Bandit's leg is healed but there seems to be something wrong with his eyes they are not swollen anymore but something is wrong."

Charles has a concern look as he says to Laura, ''I will go get Dr. Baker and have him come out and look at him."

An hour later as Dr. Baker is examining Bandit he says to all the Ingalls while looking at Laura and wiping a tear from his eyes, "I'm sorry but Bandit is blind."

Laura begins to cry uncontrollably saying, "NO! NO! He can't be!" Laura turns to Dr. Baker, "Oh, Dr. Baker is there something you can do for Bandit? Please!"

Dr. Baker hangs his head low and says, "I'm sorry, Laura there's nothing. All I can say is maybe, maybe in time... but I just don't know and it doesn't look good." Dr. Baker leaves with disappointment.

Laura runs out of the House and sits at the Creek right outside where Bandit and her used to play. Laura is crying and praying to God that her dog will be able to see again.

A few weeks pass and there is still no sign of Bandit regaining his sight. Laura has been loving and taking care of Bandit and praying for him every night sleeping by his side. One night about 1 week before the dog race Laura is praying, "Lord please help my dog see again so he can run and play like he used to. I love Bandit, Please God help my dog."

"Laura falls asleep beside Bandit with tears in her eyes. During the night while Laura is sleeping a pair of paws covers Bandit's eyes and when Laura wakes up she notices that Bandit has a glow in his eyes. She jumps up and says, "Ma, Pa, come quick Bandit's eyes has a glow to them."

Charles and Caroline, Albert, Carrie and Grace all wake up and gather around the fireplace where Bandit and Laura were. Carrie throws a ball to Bandit he catches it in his mouth and then barks.

"Oh Pa." Laura responds joyfully, "Do you think Bandit can see?"

''I do, Half-Pint! Charles answers with a smile, ''I will get Dr. Baker and see what he thinks."

Dr. Baker looks at Bandit and with a big smile, "It's a miracle, I don't know how but he can see."

Laura smiles, hugs her dog. Bandit barks. Then Laura sees a dog collar in the corner that has a "J" on it and says, "Look Pa, how did that get there? It's Jack's old dog collar."

Charles has a look of curiosity, "Not sure Half-pint."

A week passes and Bandit runs in the dog race against Nellie's Grey hound. Bandit runs fast and hard because he wants to win the race for Laura who loved and cared and prayed for him.

As Bandit is running he sees Jack Laura's dog (who passed a year and a half ago) in his mind's Eye cheering him on.

Nellie's Grey hound and Bandit are neck to neck at the finishing line. Laura is saying, "Come on boy, You can do it! You can do it!"

The flag comes down and Bandit WINS!

Mr. Hanson hands Laura the trophy and says, "Laura, Congratulations!"

Laura says, ''Thank You!" and gives Bandit a hug.

Dr. Baker behind her says ''Laura did you see Bandit run hard and fast just for you! Because he knows you love him!"

Rev. Alden also standing next to Laura says, "He run for the love of Laura."

Just then an image in the sky looks down on Laura and Bandit and Laura hears a loud bark. She looks up and sees Jack in the clouds and says to her family, ''It was Jack who made Bandit all well and able to see again."

Jack Laura's dog in Heaven still loves her so much that he helped Bandit and Bandit loves Laura that he did everything he could to win the race for her.

A Miracle From Heaven Happened In Walnut Grove!

The End.


End file.
